YWN regrets to inform you of the sudden passing of HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Paler Z”TL, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Mekor Chaim in Lakewood.
Rav Paler reportedly suffered a massive heart attack on Sunday night. Hatzolah responded to the Rosh Yeshiva’s home where he was found unresponsive and was Niftar a short while later. He was 67.
The Yeshiva was founded in Brooklyn by the Rosh Yeshiva’s father, Rav Binyomin Z”TL, in 1965. In 2012, the Yeshiva relocated to its current home in Lakewood.
[VIDEO/PHOTOS: Levaya of HaRav Yitzchok Paler Z”TL, Rosh Yeshiva Mekor Chaim]
For many decades, Rav Binyomin Paler zt”l was known as the repository of the true Brisk in the United States, a Mesorah carried on by his illustrious sons and Talmidim. Rav Binyamin was one of the closest Talmidim of the Brisker Rov, Rav Velvel Soloveitchik, and a chavrusah of Rav Berel Soloveitchik Z”TL – father of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Shlita, the current Rosh Yeshiva of Brisk in Yerushalayim.
Rav Binyamin zt”l escaped World War II together with the Mirrer Yeshiva via Shanghai. After the war, he helped Rav Leib Malin zt”l launch Yeshiva Bais HaTalmud before founding his own Yeshiva, Mekor Chaim. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l himself suggested the name – to show all that Rav Paler embodied the authentic teachings and continuity of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik himself.
The Levayah is scheduled for 1:00PM at Yeshiva Mekor Chaim, 160 Locust Street in Lakewood. Kevurah will be in Eretz Yisroel.
Baruch Da’ayan Ha’Emes
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15 Responses
Levaya updated to 1pm
A great tragedy. A young man with the typical ehrlichkeit and eidilkeit of a Paler.
WARNING TO KOHANIM: It was my understanding that niftorim were taken to Israel only by ElAl and only out of JFK and kohanim can fly nonstop to Israel on any other airline and even on ElAl from Newark. But the picture of the poster in the article indicates that the Rosh Yeshiva was being taken on United Airlines out of Newark. That, to me, is problematic.
hakohen who cares what is problematic to you , why cant a niftar be taken on united , what are you worried about kosher food,
To hakohen53: I think that only El Al out of Newark is “Kohanim-safe”. All others, whether El Al from JFK or any other airline from Newark etc. is able to take meisim. Please clarify as I not 100% sure.
To further address the issue with Kohanim and meisim on the planes, I believe that a special procedure was instituted with EL AL flights, where, when the plane stops at the gate, there is a delay for a few minutes before they open up the doors of the plane. The reason for this, I was told, is so that the meisim can be removed from the plane BEFORE the doors open up with the closed walkway already connected to the plane. That connection causes the Tum’as Meis to go into the entire terminal. Therefore, the meisim are first removed from the plane before the doors open. I seriously doubt this is in place with United. If it isn’t, doesn’t this cause a problem for Kohanim in the airport terminal. Anyone care to shed any additional light on this topic?
ARIB- Nice attitude. Actually, halacha is important to some. Seems Hakohen is not the only one expressing concern.
Wouldn’t kavod hameis take priority over the needs of Kohanim?? In other words, wouldn’t it be more important to get the niftar to EY on the earliest available flight to EY take priority over any other consideration?
I’m glad that there can be a normal discussion regarding this (except for arib). Ikovitz, very interesting spin on this. I was more concerned though about being on the plane with the niftar. I understand that ElAl leaves a space between the aron and the shipping crate so that the tumah can’t rise, but not everyone goes for that. Gadolhadorah, kohanim search and pay for their reservations weeks/months in advance based on these understandings. Tumas kohanim is min hatorah compared to kevod hameis. And if kevod hameis is so important then maybe they shouldn’t do the kevura in EY.
after eight , people who have no understanding of tumah , but are machmir but are meikal on medicaid fraud, welcome to lakewood
Hakohen53: Thanks for the informative response. I guess many of us would not have assumed that the concerns over tumas kohanim (especially when the issue is whether the Cohen might have to rebook his flight at a higher cost) takes priority over kavod hames and the desire of the family to get the niftar to EY for kevurah as quickly as possible. In both cases, there is discretion (aka pay the higher cost to rebook your flight versus change the burial plans to a local cemetery where no flight is needed).
GH and others:
Part of the calculation here is the problem of being מחטיא others. An individual can have reasons why to prioritize one issue over another. But causing others to violate an issur is truly huge, and that cannot be taken lightly at all.
“wouldn’t it be more important to get the niftar to EY on the earliest available flight to EY take priority over any other consideration?”
There is NO chiyuv to be buried in Israel, whereas, Tumas haMes of Kohanim is d’Oraita. If the timing is such an issue of Kovad H’Mes then perhaps he should be buried in Chu”L….
There are many Kohanim (frum and non-frum) traveling on the airline on a daily basis and will unknowingly transgress the Issur…
Gaon: Makes sense. In general, when someone who happens to be a Kohen has to make a last-minute business trip or has his flight changed by the airlines due to some weather or mechanical reason, is there some contact at the airlines that tracks whether a particular flight might have a niftar on board. I would assume for privacy reasons, the airlines would not publicly share their cargo manifest. Obviously not something I’ve ever had to concern myself with but must be a 24×7 concern for Kohanim.
With everyone talking about Kavod Hames and getting the Niftar to EY at the earliest possible time, please explain to me the thought process of the timing of the Levaya and the using of United. The Levaya according to the picture started at 1PM. That right away takes away the option of using the LY flight out of EWR which most people agree carries no Meisim. I also highly doubt that the Levaya which started at 1PM could then leave Lakewood and travel to EWR and make all the necessary declarations to make United 84 which leaves at around 4PM. That leaves the night flight, United 90 at 10:45PM. That means that it was way after the 24 hour window, no? Am I missing something? I have a family plot in EY but told my wife that if push comes to shove and I can’t be buried inside the 24 hour window, throw me into the backyard pool and fill it in.